Paddy Keenan (born 30 January 1950) is an Irish player of the
uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes ( or , ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland. Earlier known in English as "union pipes", their current name is a partial translation of the Irish language terms (literally, "pipes of the elbow"), from thei ...
who first gained fame as a founding member of
The Bothy Band. Since that group's dissolution in the late 1970s, Keenan has released a number of solo and collaborative recordings, and continues to tour both as a soloist, and with singer/guitarist Tommy O'Sullivan.
Biography
The early years
Paddy Keenan was born in
Trim, County Meath
Trim () is a town in County Meath, Ireland. It is situated on the River Boyne and has a population of 9,194. The town is noted for Trim Castle – the largest Norman castle in Ireland. One of the two cathedrals of the United Dioceses of Mea ...
in 1950 to John Keenan (an
Irish Traveller
Irish Travellers ( ga, an lucht siúil, meaning "the walking people"), also known as Pavees or Mincéirs (Shelta: Mincéirí), are a traditionally peripatetic indigenous ethno-cultural group in Ireland.''Questioning Gypsy identity: ethnic na ...
) and Mary Bravender Keenan (of settled descent). Though the Keenan family abandoned the Traveling lifestyle early in Paddy's life, he spent much of his youth contending with discrimination, including regular physical confrontations. His father and grandfather both played the pipes, and his father spent many nights playing along with piper
Johnny Doran
Johnny Doran (1908 – 19 January 1950)Sleeve notes compiled by Jackie Small and published with ''The Bunch of Keys'' audio tape, Comhairle Bhéaloideas Éireann (CBÉ 001), 1988 was an Irish uilleann piper.
Life and family
Johnny Doran was bo ...
. When he was about six years old, Keenan was introduced to the
tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, putting it in the same class as the recorder, Native American flute, and other woodwind instruments that meet such criteria ...
by his brother Johnny (a notable Irish banjo player), and began playing the pipes around age nine.
Recognizing his son's interest, John Keenan tutored Paddy, along with neighbouring children, including
Finbar Furey and
Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane (born 1959 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish musician, songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.
Biography Irish music
At the age of 12, Spillane started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him an ...
. During this period, the Keenan household was an
ongoing session. At age fourteen, Keenan played his first major concert at the
Gaiety Theatre, Dublin
The Gaiety Theatre is a theatre on South King Street in Dublin, Ireland, off Grafton Street and close to St. Stephen's Green. It specialises in operatic and musical productions, with occasional dramatic shows.
History
In April 1871, the broth ...
, followed by a few years of touring with a number of musicians, including his father, as "The Pavees." At seventeen, Keenan went to England in an attempt to escape the strictness of his father's household, and ended up busking around London, singing and playing
blues and rock songs on guitar for most of the following four years. After nearly selling or throwing away his pipes several times, he discovered in 1971 that busking with them was far more lucrative than with the guitar, and resumed his piping career.
Early groups and The Bothy Band
Returning to
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, Keenan played regularly with his brothers and father at folk clubs and various venues around Ireland. In 1975, he was part of a band called 'Seachtar', from the Irish word for 'seven people.' This band was the genesis of
The Bothy Band, of which Keenan was a mainstay from its inception to its demise in 1979.
A solo career
Keenan's first (and eponymous) solo album appeared in 1975, and he also duetted with fiddler
Paddy Glackin
Paddy Glackin (born 5 August 1954) is an Irish fiddler and founding member of the Bothy Band. He is considered one of Ireland's leading traditional fiddle players.
Biography
Paddy Glackin was born on 5 August 1954 in Clontarf, Dublin. His fath ...
on the 1978 album ''Doublin''. He subsequently recorded a second solo album for
Gael-Linn Records, ''Poirt An Phiobaire'', in 1983.
After rejecting the chance to join
Moving Hearts
Moving Hearts is an Irish Celtic rock band formed in 1981. They followed in the footsteps of Horslips in combining Irish traditional music with rock and roll, and also added elements of jazz to their sound.Harris, Craig''Moving Hearts'' AllMusic ...
in the early 1980s, Keenan's musical career went into abeyance. However, in the 1990s he relocated to North America, rediscovered his musical talents and in 1997 issued ''Na Keen Affair'', recorded at Dadyeen Studios, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. Supporting musicians include
Tommy Peoples
Tommy Peoples (20 September 1948 – 4 August 2018) was an Irish fiddler who played in the Donegal fiddle tradition.
Biography
Peoples was born near St. Johnston, County Donegal, Ireland. He was a member of traditional Irish music groups, ...
and
Patrick Moran on fiddle,
Arty McGlynn
Arty McGlynn (7 August 1944 – 18 December 2019) was an Irish guitarist born in Omagh, County Tyrone. In addition to his solo work, he collaborated with different notable groups such as Patrick Street, Planxty, Four Men and a Dog, De Dannan ...
and Tommy O'Sullivan on guitar, as well as Newfoundland musicians. This led to an ongoing musical relationship with the London-born, Kerry-based guitarist Tommy O'Sullivan. Together, the pair issued ''The Long Grazing Acre'' in 2001, touring jointly to promote the album. According to their respective websites, Keenan and O'Sullivan have continued to perform together periodically since 2001.
The 2008 documentary ''
Dambé: The Mali Project'' tells the story of his 3000-mile cross-cultural musical adventure with
Liam Ó Maonlaí
Liam Ó Maonlaí (born 7 November 1964 in Monkstown, County Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish musician best known as a member of Hothouse Flowers. Ó Maonlaí formed the band in 1985 with his schoolmate Fiachna Ó Braonáin.
Biography
He attend ...
(
Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock band that combine traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel, and rock. Formed in 1985 in Dublin, they started as street performers. Their first album, ''People'' (1988), was the most success ...
) and friends, and features performances from the
Festival au Désert
The Festival au désert (Festival in the Desert) was an annual concert in Mali, showcasing traditional Tuareg music as well as music from around the world between 2001 and 2012. It was founded and directed by Manny Ansar, and attracted thousand ...
.
Pipes and Pipemakers
Upon demonstrating and aptitude for, and interest in the pipes around the age of ten, John Keenan got Paddy a full set of pipes by John Clarks.
Six years later, in 1966, Keenan's father bought him a full set made by the Crowley family, which (with the addition of a
Leo Rowsome
Leo Rowsome (5 April 1903 - 20 September 1970) was the third generation of an unbroken line of uilleann pipers. He was a performer, manufacturer and teacher of the uilleann pipes throughout his life.
Samuel Rowsome, Leo’s grandfather sent hi ...
chanter), Paddy played until 2000.
At that point, Keenan received a full set from maker Dave Williams of
Grimsby
Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town and the administrative centre of North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, England. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes directly to the south-east forming a conurbation. Grimsby is north-east of L ...
, England, who died a few years later in a car accident.
This set, which was a copy of the previous Crowley set, remains Keenan's primary instrument.
Discography
Solo albums
*''
Paddy Keenan'' (1975)
*''
Poirt An Phiobaire'' (1983)
*''Ná Keen Affair'' (1997)
With Paddy Glackin
*''Doublin (1978)
With Tommy O'Sullivan
*''
The Long Grazing Acre'' (2001)
As A Member of The Bucks
*''
Dancin' To The Ceili Band'' (1994)
As A Member of Éire Japan
With
Frankie Gavin and Junji Shirota (
ja)
* ''Éire Japan'' (2015)
Éire Japan
retrieved 31 October 2015
References
Further reading
*Colin Harper "Piper back" ''Folk Roots'', no. 168 (June 1997), pp. 26–27
External links
Paddy Keenan's web site
The Long Grazing Acre Foundation
NPR interview (audio)
Sound sample
Reels: Scotch Mary/Earls Chair/Pigeon on the Gate
Air: Johnny's Tune, For The Avalon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keenan, Paddy
Irish uilleann pipers
Irish buskers
Musicians from County Meath
1950 births
Living people
The Bothy Band members